Boston to attend “rat summit” in New York, learn from other cities

BOSTON – Members of Boston’s Department of Public Works and the Inspectional Services team will be heading to New York for a “rat summit.” The meeting will bring together other rat plagued cities like New York, Seattle, and Chicago. The cluster of cities will be trying to learn from each other.
“We are very interested in what New York City is doing with containerization. They are requiring all residential units to containerize trash,” said Tania Del Rio, Boston’s Commissioner of Inspectional Services. “Washington D.C. has a strength of dealing with rodents in alleys.”
In July, Boston laid out their rat action plan. It’s a multi-department plan to tackle the issue, and it encompasses 15 different departments. Residents are just happy to see the city taking action.
“Sunset to sunrise, every day I see rats,” says Megan Henderson, an Allston resident. “People leave food everywhere, and I think that’s why they come.”
On Saturday, Henderson was walking when a rat came up and bit her in the ankle. The rodent left two marks and forced Henderson to seek medical attention.
“I got a tetanus shot. Everyone is telling me to get a rabies shot, but I am waiting to see to get with my doctor to see if I should get it,” said Henderson.
If she had her way, Boston would ban rats. The province of Alberta, Canada did it in the past and has been rat free since the 1950s. It further asks the question, what can Boston learn from other places or new technology?
“We are looking at sensor technology both in the sewers and some spots like parks to map the true rodent population,” said Del Rio.
As it is, the city is already working with MIT students to use artificial intelligence to further enhance the mapping of 311 calls to the city. Del Rio says different neighborhoods report more than others, and the data mining can give them a better idea of where those trouble spots are.
“We are also phasing out those anticoagulant rodenticides for many environmental reasons,” said Del Rio, explaining the alternatives. “Carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide can smoke the critters out. Yes, dry ice instead of rodenticide.”
Del Rio says a private group in Jamaica Plain has tested out rat contraceptives, however she says the city is simply keeping an eye on that approach as there has not been enough research on it for the city to take it into advisement. The biggest impact on rats will be ways to contain trash and waste.
“Waste management is the most important thing to slowing rat population,” said Del Rio. “The east coast faces the largest issues because our infrastructure is older, and housing is older.”